"I am your god, I am the God Ju Lan!" In the blue light, the colossal figure slowly rippled, like jelly steeped in hot water, a viscous sight that made the stomach turn with unease. Yet his voice was deafeningly loud, and the magical fluctuations carried within the sound waves were immensely powerful. His cultivation was at the initial stage of Taiyi Golden Immortal, his body refinement skills at the middle stage of Daluo Golden Immortal, and his magical strength at the peak of Daluo Golden Immortal.

The true form of the God Ju Lan was concealed deep within the heart of the massive figure bathed in blue light, protected by dozens of layers of restraints as supple as water ripples, yet simultaneously bearing the piercing cold and oppressive heat of two completely opposing attributes. Gu Xiechen's divine sense attempted to approach, but it was firmly pushed back by the flexible restraints while still dozens of miles from the body.

After a moment of contemplation, Gu Wuchen suppressed the urge to spy on the true form of the God Ju Lan. The restraints surrounding the god's body were a form of restriction technique entirely incomprehensible to Gu Xiechen; even though his divine sense far surpassed the god's, attempting to break the barriers might expose him. To rashly alarm this native deity of the universe, a powerful life form nurtured by the stars and a primordial being of this cosmos, was unwise. This giant was indeed qualified to call himself a god.

However, the God Ju Lan appeared somewhat underdeveloped in his primordial form. While his upper body was a clearly discernible human shape, his lower half was merely a pool of viscous gel, constantly shifting into various forms—sometimes bestial, sometimes insectoid, sometimes avian, and often incorporating the limbs of all manner of bizarre creatures. It seemed he had yet to decide upon his ultimate, definitive appearance. "You have arrived at my summons; I shall grant you rewards!"

The God Ju Lan roared with laughter, spewing forth tens of millions of streaks of azure light from his mouth. Countless flying swords shot out, entirely cerulean in color, subtly undulating with watery patterns. Powerful primal five-element true magnetic radiance circled their outer edges, clearly indicating that their material composition was identical to that of the flying shuttles the others were using.

These flying swords traveled at incredible speeds, their designs both ancient and weighty, exuding an air of great dignity. The craftsmanship in forging the swords was merely average, not worthy of Gu Xiechen's notice, but the formations and restrictions contained within the swords were exceedingly potent and novel, lending them a quality above the ordinary.

When propelled by the correct incantations, even a swordsman with only a Golden Core cultivation level could unleash power equivalent to at least a mid-grade Immortal Artifact, capable of inflicting heavy damage upon cultivators below the Golden Immortal stage.

These flying swords, which could unleash immense power simply by channeling magical energy, were perfectly suited for the native cultivators of this universe. Though their realm standards might be insufficient, the sheer volume of magical energy within each of them far exceeded their cultivation levels. These specially forged flying swords and the native cultivators were a match made in heaven, perfectly complementary.

Streaks of azure light tore through the void, instantly sinking into the surrounding flying shuttles. Before the four figures including Gu Xiechen, the light flashed, and four uniquely shaped flying swords abruptly materialized. Gu Wuchen waved to Guo Hua and the others, then projected a strand of pure Yang True Qi using the Pure Yang Sutra technique, successfully subduing and refining one of these flying swords.

Cultivators at the Golden Core stage received only a single flying sword. Those at the Nascent Soul stage, following the sword, immediately received a set of armor. Cultivators at the Transformation stage and above obtained the flying sword, the armor, and three additional magical treasures. As for powerful beings like the giant vegetable caterpillar, they received marvels specifically tailored for them.

The gigantic vegetable caterpillar, five hundred li in length, was sheathed in a set of exquisitely crafted, completely form-fitting armor that enveloped its entire body, including all its soft appendages. This armor, radiating an azure glow, complemented the caterpillar's own verdant body; the interlocking blue and green light made the colossal creature resemble a stunning display piece in a jeweler's shop—a breathtaking sight beyond description.

The giant caterpillar seemed immensely pleased with this exquisite, eighteen-zhang-thick armor, possessing astonishing defensive capabilities. It shifted its bulk slightly and swallowed the set of magical treasures that the God Ju Lan had specifically forged for it—a total of twenty-seven thousand blade wheels, each the size of a water vat, thin as cicada wings, and densely covered with countless sharp teeth.

Excluding the caterpillar, every other strange creature in the other shuttles whose cultivation exceeded the initial stage of Golden Immortal received additional special attention from the God Ju Lan.

After distributing the flying swords and treasures, the God Ju Lan raised his arms high and let out a deafening roar: "The God Jing Bang, a deity far less powerful than myself, rashly issued a challenge! A bet, a massive wager that forces me to proceed with caution. As gods, we cannot directly enter the fray, so everything depends on you now, my subjects!"

"You will be sent to the territory of the demons. Do your utmost to slay every demon you see and bring back their heads!"

The God Ju Lan uttered a chilling, sinister laugh, and his body subtly began to move.

"The head of every cultivator at the Golden Core stage and above can be exchanged for rewards from me. Cultivation methods, magical implements, spirit pills—whatever you desire, you shall have. Bring the heads of the demons, and you shall obtain everything you wish for from me!"

"Heh~~~"

With a great shout, the God Ju Lan expelled a vast cloud of azure mist. As the mist rose, it formed a gigantic Taiji diagram before him. The Taiji diagram vanished in a flash, followed by the slow emergence of a Ten Thousand Character Buddha Seal and a Lotus Seal within the water vapor.

Subsequently, a figure dressed in standard Daoist robes and a figure dressed in standard monastic robes appeared within the mist.

The God Ju Lan bellowed again: "These are the marks of the demons! Anyone bearing the mark of the demon is a subject of the demons! These are what the demons look like, though they might also disguise themselves. Be vigilant in your identification, and then slay them!"

After shouting himself hoarse, the God Ju Lan muttered vaguely, "The God Jing Bang? How could you possibly defeat me? Even if your subjects possess more high-level cultivators, the sheer number of my subjects far exceeds yours. In a killing spree, you are doomed to lose!"

The voice of Emperor Qing Wu resonated near Gu Xiechen and the others: "You have all heard the command of the great Divine Lord: slay those demons, and you will receive rewards from the Divine Lord. Whether our State of Nu Gong can rise on the Planet Shu Tun, and whether you can achieve prominence in the State of Nu Gong, all depends on your performance this time!"

Emperor Qing Wu's voice was filled with excitement. Clearly, the God Ju Lan's massive mobilization was unprecedented. The pre-emptive distribution of so many flying swords and artifacts, coupled with the promise of future rewards—such lavishness was unheard of. Emperor Qing Wu sensed the immense opportunity within this: if the State of Nu Gong could slay more demons, the rewards would undoubtedly be substantial.

Gu Xiechen, meanwhile, let out a series of cold sneers. To these native-born primordial beings, the so-called 'demons' were undoubtedly the Sages from that other universe and their descendants, just like Gu Xiechen and his group. Those people were not easy to deal with—truly difficult opponents!

This was, however, an opportunity for Gu Xiechen to interact with those Sage descendants and gain insight into the current state of this universe.

Amidst the incessant encouragement and instigation from the God Ju Lan, a viscous wave suddenly erupted from the planet housing the God Ju Lan's true form. This azure wave shot high into the sky and rapidly solidified into countless pieces of crystal-clear blue ice. The vast number of ice chunks danced and swirled rapidly in the void, gradually coalescing into a circular portal about a hundred li in diameter.

The voice of the God Ju Lan abruptly became somewhat halting, as if he were expending tremendous energy. He roared with all his might: "My subjects, I await your triumphant return here! Fight fiercely, slay them! Let the heads of the demons become your merit, let the God Jing Bang weep before me! Honor belongs to you, and countless flying swords, magical implements, and spirit pills await you!" From within the circular portal made of blue ice, a vast expanse of dim light suddenly burst forth, and a Star Gate materialized. A flying shuttle lifted off and slowly glided into the Star Gate.

The body of the God Ju Lan violently convulsed; it was obvious that maintaining this Star Gate was draining a massive amount of his power, leaving him barely capable of speech. The light of the Star Gate flickered continuously as shuttle after shuttle flew in, instantly vanishing from this region of the starry sky.

The flying shuttle carrying Gu Xiechen and his group slowly rose and gently slid into the Star Gate. Gu Xiechen first felt a slight chill envelop his body, as if currents of cold air were brushing past his skin. Then, his body abruptly sank, and the gravity and pressure inside the shuttle suddenly intensified tenfold. The force field magnetic lines formed by the primal five-element true magnetism on the shuttle's surface abruptly erupted in dazzling five-colored light. The shuttle trembled faintly, rapidly tearing through the void under the immense pressure, transforming into a mere shadow before disappearing.

The voice of Envoy Ji Xing sounded within the shuttle: "Do not be afraid. The Divine Lord is using infinite divine power to carve a direct passage to the demon territory. In seven months, we will reach the demon lands, and that will be the time for us to strive to slay enemies for the Divine Lord!"

After a moment of silence, Envoy Ji Xing spoke slowly: "Planet Shu Tun is considered one of the weakest, most savage planets in the Divine Lord's domain. It is likely that many of your kings and sect leaders do not even know the origins of these demons. During these seven months, you may consult with this envoy for information regarding the demons. Hopefully, this knowledge will aid you and increase your chances of survival." Gu Xiechen's eyes flickered. This Envoy Ji Xing was actually a decent person; although his words were harsh, his nature was not bad. Immediately after, he heard Envoy Ji Xing begin to recount basic information about those demons.

According to Envoy Ji Xing's description, these invaders from a foreign universe—crude and barbaric—had invaded this universe. Except for a few among them who cultivated special techniques, their physical bodies were very fragile. Essentially, the durability of their flesh was only one-thousandth or even one-ten-thousandth that of native cultivators of the same rank.

However, despite such frail bodies, these demons commanded terrifying magic and divine abilities. Even a demon at the Golden Core stage could unleash powerful magical attacks, without relying on flying swords or artifacts, capable of destroying the physical body and soul of a Nascent Soul stage native cultivator.

If the mastery level of divine abilities and spells among native cultivators was considered 'one,' the demons' mastery level reached 'one hundred,' or even 'one thousand.' Their elite, genius disciples reached 'ten thousand'!

Therefore, Envoy Ji Xing advised all cultivators below the Void Realm to engage in close-quarters combat immediately upon encountering a demon. At close range, demons were extremely vulnerable; any random strike from a native cultivator at the Golden Core stage could easily annihilate a demon's physical form.

The flying swords bestowed by the God Ju Lan possessed powerful destructive capabilities against the primordial spirit. Thus, after destroying the demon's body, one must immediately use the God Ju Lan's gifted swords to attack the demon's primordial spirit, thereby ensuring a complete and effortless destruction of the demon.

It wasn't just Envoy Ji Xing who was incessantly detailing information about the demons; the shuttle was also broadcasting recorded footage of magical combat to all cultivators. These were scenes of combat between cultivators from various planets in the God Ju Lan's domain and the demons. Perhaps the God Ju Lan had not yet mastered the art of whitewashing the truth, as the footage showed native cultivators suffering defeat in about seventy percent of the recorded battles.

In essence, in confrontations between cultivators of the same rank, native cultivators would have to fight a hundred bloody battles just to win about twenty.

In these videos, those "demons" truly moved like phantoms, their escape techniques exquisitely refined, and their offensive spells astonishingly potent. Their flying swords and magical artifacts were clearly more than one tier superior in quality to those of the native cultivators. Furthermore, their combat techniques were more practiced, their attacks more ruthless, and they were far more unscrupulous.

Gu Xiechen observed one combat recording where a Nascent Soul stage 'demon,' relying on formidable magic and an extremely powerful flying sword, actually managed to kill a Transformation stage native cultivator despite being at a lower rank.

The native cultivator released spells at a speed more than ten times slower than the 'demon' cultivator. His movement speed could not keep up with the elusive 'demon' cultivator who popped up here and vanished there. His armor and physical body could not withstand the piercing strikes of the enemy's flying sword. The battle lasted less than the time it takes to steep a cup of tea before the dignified Transformation stage native cultivator was utterly defeated and killed.

All the cultivators from Planet Shu Tun stared dumbfounded, feeling a chill rise from the soles of their feet straight to the crown of their heads.

But Gu Xiechen and his three companions found the spectacle exhilarating. That Nascent Soul stage cultivator, who clearly hailed from the Laojun's Zhongnan lineage, demonstrated mastery in spells and supreme skill in evasive maneuvers; his every move in combat offered an almost artistic sense of enjoyment.

The strongest instantaneous attack output from the thunder magic cast by that Nascent Soul cultivator even reached the level of a mid-stage Golden Immortal from their original universe. This suggested that the magic and divine abilities practiced by these cultivators had undergone significant improvement and change since arriving in this universe.

Gu Xiechen's eyes burned with desire. He had already decided to target a few of these cultivators and seize their cultivation scriptures.

Racking his brain to fathom the Heavenly Dao and ponder his own methods was far less efficient than seizing established scriptures directly. Before, he hadn't been able to find the descendants of those Sages, but now the God Ju Lan had delivered them right to his doorstep. He absolutely could not betray the painstaking effort of the God Ju Lan; he must thoroughly plunder and loot them all. Gu Wuchen exchanged a knowing smile with Guo Hua; other schemes were already brewing in his mind. No light was visible around the flying shuttle; it continued to fly along the star path carved out by the God Ju Lan. However, this super-long-distance star path created by the God Ju Lan seemed to be pushing his limits; the path was not entirely stable, and the shuttle occasionally experienced extremely violent jolts during flight.

Just as Envoy Ji Xing had mentioned, after flying for seven months through the pitch-black star path, a light suddenly appeared ahead, signaling the shuttle's imminent arrival at its destination.

During those seven months, Gu Xiechen focused entirely on quiet cultivation within the shuttle, and time passed quickly.

The voice of Envoy Ji Xing suddenly sounded within the shuttle, his tone now tinged with seriousness. "Everyone, we will soon reach our destination."

After a brief pause, Envoy Ji Xing spoke in a low voice: "Because the distance is too great, the Star Path created by the Divine Lord is not perfectly stable. We are not certain exactly where we will materialize. Based on our calculations, there are seven potential target planets ahead..."

"The most ideal outcome would be to appear before 'Planet Mu Ye,' a planet with weak demonic forces, where we will be relatively safe."

"The worst-case scenario is if we unfortunately land on 'Planet Bai Zun' or 'Planet Da Huo.' In those cases, your first priority must be survival! On those two planets, there exist terrifying demons whose power rivals that of the Divine Lord!"

Gu Xiechen's divine sense enveloped the entire shuttle. As Envoy Ji Xing spoke these words, he clearly sensed that all the high-ranking cultivators, including Emperor Qing Wu, Yang Wusheng, and Lady Yang Yin, simultaneously cursed loudly, furiously sending greetings to Envoy Ji Xing’s ancestors.

Gu Xiechen couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. Was this how the God Ju Lan, living up to his name, summarily tossed out all the Golden Core cultivators in his territory? The Star Path created was not guaranteed to have a fixed destination—it was a random projection!

Had the mental faculties of these native-born primordial gods been stunted due to incomplete development? Why would they summon every cultivator at the Golden Core stage and above from their domain, utterly disregarding their safety by sending them directly into enemy territory, all for some inexplicable bet?

Gu Xiechen suddenly recalled a tricky question and quietly asked the three beside him: "What do you think? Once this bet is concluded, how will these unfortunate fellows return to their home planets? Does the God Ju Lan possess the power to accurately position and open a return Star Gate for every single shuttle?" Seiren stared blankly, and Maha hastily shook his head, viciously insulting the mother of the God Ju Lan!

While the four of them were still pondering how the God Ju Lan would retrieve his subjects, the shuttle rushed out of the Star Path and entered a crimson starscape. This area was densely populated with clusters of small, reddish stars. Amidst tens of thousands of these small stars, one colossal star, roughly ten thousand times the volume of the small ones, shone with dazzling, overwhelming brilliance.

The voice of Envoy Ji Xing suddenly sounded much more relaxed: "Everyone, our luck isn't bad; we are about to face Planet Mi Sha, whose strength is only slightly superior to Planet Mu Ye. If your luck holds, you can return home easily in three months with ample spoils of war."

The shuttle suddenly accelerated, rapidly flying toward an orange-yellow planet near the giant star, which clearly had most of its surface covered in yellow sand.

Powerful primal five-element true magnetic rays shot out from the shuttle, transforming into a five-colored cloud mist that enveloped the shuttle's body, gradually obscuring its shape.

At an altitude fifty thousand li from Planet Mi Sha, the forward entrance/exit of the shuttle opened silently. Urged by Envoy Ji Xing, the cultivators from Planet Shu Tun disembarked one after another. After gathering in the void outside the shuttle, they advanced uniformly toward Planet Mi Sha. Once these cultivators departed, the shuttle immediately turned and flew toward the distant starry sky.

When the cultivators of Planet Mi Sha were attacked, they would immediately dispatch experts into space to search for the shuttle carrying the Planet Shu Tun cultivators, thereby cutting off their retreat. Therefore, the shuttle absolutely had to conceal itself effectively and avoid detection by the enemy.

The shuttle would not dare approach Planet Mi Sha until the cultivators from Planet Shu Tun completed their three-month raid and were permitted to return. Whether the shuttle could safely return to pick up the Planet Shu Tun cultivators in three months would depend entirely on their performance during those three months.

If they could not effectively annihilate the living forces of Planet Mi Sha, if they could not restrain the high-end power there, then retreating safely was merely wishful thinking.

Envoy Ji Xing remained among the group of cultivators assaulting Planet Mi Sha; his movements were swift, and he naturally felt no fear. He cast a spell, enveloping all the cultivators with a dark light, and without further instruction, he charged into Planet Mi Sha, taking the lead.

The cultivators from the various states of Planet Shu Tun exchanged glances, then separated according to their state or tribal units, flying toward all corners of Planet Mi Sha. Planet Shu Sha was more than ten times larger than Planet Shu Tun. The numerous cultivators from Planet Shu Tun spread across the surface of Planet Mi Sha, appearing no more than a drop in the ocean, vanishing once scattered.

Gu Xiechen’s divine sense swept across the four directions, discovering that besides the Swift Star Emissary who participated in the assault, the Lord Sa, who was within the shuttle, had also stealthily followed behind the masses of cultivators. It was obvious that since the duel was between the Lord of Juwei and the other party, a direct subordinate expert like Lord Sa would certainly participate in the attack. However, judging by Lord Sa’s posture, it was more likely he was preparing to find an opening in the rear for a sneak attack.

Ignoring the ill-intentioned Lord Sa, Gu Wuchen and the other three cautiously infiltrated Mi Sha Star under the leadership of Emperor Qingwu.

The more than one hundred and eight thousand cultivators of the Nv Gong Nation, who were all at the Golden Core stage or above, had just landed. Before they could survey the situation, a contingent clearly identifiable as a merchant caravan emerged from behind a dune ahead. The massive caravan comprised four to five thousand individuals, with around three thousand pack beasts. Some of these colossal beasts were practically the size of small hills.

Startled by the sudden appearance of over ten thousand fully armored cultivators from the Nv Gong Nation, sharp alarm bells immediately rang out within the caravan.

Several streaks of sword light shot up from within the caravan, flying rapidly toward them. However, when they were still over ten miles away from the Nv Gong Nation’s contingent, these streaks of light immediately veered back. Sharp whistles continuously sounded. Gu Xiechen distinctly heard several sword-riding cultivators shouting: “Invasion by the True Demons! Fight to the death… fight to the death!”

The native cultivators referred to these outside cultivators as ‘Fiends,’ and these cultivators, in turn, called the native cultivators ‘True Demons.’ It was quite a case of telepathic understanding. But whether Fiend or True Demon, the two sides were clearly locked in an irreconcilable conflict, otherwise those few cultivators would never have shouted such words. ‘Fight to the death’ essentially set the tone for the battle about to commence below.

Emperor Qingwu recalled the countless benefits promised by the Lord of Juwei. She was ecstatic, embracing Little Yi’er and kissing him twice, then sharply raising her right hand and fiercely waving it forward. The cultivators of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects of the Nv Gong Nation simultaneously raised their weapons, charging forward like a pack of maddened beasts.

The distance between the two sides was merely over ten miles. The cultivators of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects possessed naturally formidable physiques; even without cultivation, traversing ten miles would only take the time of one cup of tea. Now that they had achieved cultivation, their speed was even greater. Ten miles was only a matter of a few breaths, and they were already surging towards the caravan. Leading the charge was none other than Elder Li Shenfan of the Hidden Yin Sect.

Li Shenfan, robust and powerfully built, let out a sinister laugh as he brandished an iron caltrop mace, two zhang and four chi long, swinging it violently towards a massive pack beast ahead, which stood several zhang tall. With a deafening boom, the pack beast, over five zhang high and more than thirty zhang long, was swept away with a mournful cry, disappearing behind a nearby sand dune.

Half of the dozen or so caravan members riding the pack beast were clearly ordinary mortals. They were shaken by the residual force of Li Shenfan’s immense blow, each spitting blood and collapsing. The other half were cultivators skilled in various techniques. They simultaneously raised magic tools resembling crossbows in their hands and triggered them toward Li Shenfan. “Hah! So noisy!” Li Shenfan laughed maniacally: “Crossbows? Can they harm me? Children, capture the men!”

Li Shenfan had already set her sights on those few young men holding the crossbows. One was fair-skinned, tall, and graceful, with top-tier looks and figure. Especially their capable and courageous demeanor—this was extremely rare among the men of the Nv Gong Nation… no, among all men on Shu Peng Star. Such men held immense appeal for the female disciples of the Hidden Yin Sect!

While the arrogant Li Shenfan was still laughing wildly, the cultivators in the hands of those few whose cultivation was still a significant distance from the Golden Core stage unleashed several beams of strong light. The dull thud of the crossbow mechanisms resonated, increasing the pressure in the eardrums of Gu Xiechen and the other three even ten miles away. Dozens of crossbow bolts, carrying a suffocatingly strong wind pressure, instantly arrived before Li Shenfan.

A piercing shriek was heard. Li Shenfan, who remained unmoving, intending to rely on his true qi and muscle to block the bolts, had his upper body riddled like a sieve. Dozens of bolts, shimmering with dazzling light and intricately carved with minuscule runes the size of sesame seeds on their tips, each emitting a faint aura of magical power, were deeply embedded in Li Shenfan’s body.

The few cultivators who had injured the enemy with the crossbows shouted, “Explode!” Immediately, Li Shenfan’s upper body suddenly swelled. The dozens of crossbow bolts detonated simultaneously, their power comparable to the lightning magic unleashed by a peak Celestial Immortal. Dozens of lightning spells erupting inside Li Shenfan’s body instantly blew his upper torso into a pulp of flesh and bone, sending countless fragmented pieces flying far away.

Among these crossbow bolts, one was clearly marked with a ‘Soul Devourer’ effect. Before Li Shenfan’s spirit could escape, it was completely swallowed by that black bolt. The originally pitch-black bolt, devoid of any light, suddenly erupted in a burst of intense light after consuming Li Shenfan’s primordial spirit, transforming into a sharp streak that flew back toward one of the cultivators who had used the crossbows.

Gu Xiechen watched, feeling both awed and enlightened. The cultivation of those few cultivators was extremely low, utterly incomparable to a Nascent Soul stage expert like Li Shenfan, but their coordination was excellent, and the power of their crossbows was immense— “And observing with my divine sense, the specifications of these crossbow bolts were all identical, clearly a standardized piece of equipment. This is why the overconfident Li Shenfan was killed in one strike.”

As Li Shenfan’s body exploded, the cultivators of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects of the Nv Gong Nation swarmed toward the caravan.

A percussive sound of wooden clappers rang out from within the caravan. Over two thousand caravan members stood up from their pack beasts and simultaneously raised those terrifying crossbows, unleashing tens of thousands of dazzling crossbow bolts in a torrent that instantly enveloped the area. Yang Wusheng and Yin Niang simultaneously cried out in anguish.

A wave of screams followed. At least over three thousand disciples from the charging True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects fell, each pierced by an average of five or six crossbow bolts. In the blink of an eye, the over three thousand disciples struck by the bolts died simultaneously, their bodies blasted into unrecognizable heaps of bloody fragments, with very few primordial spirits managing to escape.

The sudden heavy losses threw the disciples of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects into chaos. Even the elders and high-level disciples felt dizzy and unsure of what to do.

According to the Swift Star Emissary, Mi Sha Star was considered very weak. How could the Nv Gong Nation have suffered such heavy losses? Before the flustered Nv Gong cultivators could recover, a crisp command rang out from within the caravan.

Following this command, nearly a thousand caravan members stood up from their pack beasts simultaneously. They each produced thumb-sized Thunder Talismans crafted from fine jade, refined gold, or other rare materials. They used small knives to nick their fingers, smeared the blood onto the talismans, and then forcefully hurled them towards the Nv Gong cultivators.

A sound like thousands of thunderclaps ensued. On average, each caravan member threw three talismans, totaling over two thousand, perhaps three thousand, talismans thrown. The trace of fresh blood adhering to the talismans flashed, and the talismans instantly activated. Countless extremely thin strands of electric light descended from the sky. Thousands of Zeus Fireballs, the size of meter-wide rice vats, rapidly coalesced in the high altitude. Before the Nv Gong cultivators could react, the fireballs plummeted from the sky, and the thin electric strands also transformed into colossal thunderbolts the thickness of water vats, crashing down from the heavens.

Cries of misery sounded again. This time, the power of the Thunder Talismans covered nearly all the disciples of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects. The destructive power of each streak of lightning was formidable. The thousands of disciples of the True Yang and Hidden Yin Sects, all at the Golden Core stage, managed only a short gasp before turning into ashes in the lightning.

These caravan members, apart from the naturally potent innate spiritual energy within their bodies, showed no fluctuations of formed magical power. Evidently, they were all mortals who had not practiced cultivation techniques. However, the Thunder Talismans they threw were clearly specially crafted treasures; merely activating them with their own blood could unleash tremendous power. Each streak of lightning generated by this array possessed the killing power of a high-level Celestial Immortal.

What was even more terrifying was that these thousands of Thunder Talismans erupted simultaneously. The lightning between the talismans actually created an amplification effect similar to array activation. Each talisman originally burst forth with three streaks of lightning and three fireballs, but after being enhanced by the talisman array, each talisman unleashed nine streaks of lightning and nine fireballs, instantly leaving the Nv Gong cultivators scorched, battered, and uncertain of life or death.

As the might of the Thunder Talismans subsided, the over two thousand caravan members were already reloading their crossbows, unleashing tens of thousands more powerful bolts that swept across the remaining Nv Gong cultivators like a storm, immediately slaying another thousand people.

After three waves of assault, only a sparse nine hundred or so beings at the Nascent Soul stage or above remained standing of the Nv Gong Nation’s more than one hundred and eight thousand cultivators at the Golden Core stage and above. The others were either pulverized by the lightning or blown into a bloody mess by the crossbow bolts.

The many cultivators of the Nv Gong Nation were dumbfounded. They retreated almost instinctively, withdrawing as fast as possible until they were behind Emperor Qingwu. Only when Emperor Qingwu’s tall, corpulent body blocked their path did these cultivators stop trembling, staring fearfully at the caravan that resembled a monstrous, man-eating beast.

Gu Xiechen sighed softly: “The arms trade, it seems, still has great prospects in this universe!”

Gu Xiechen’s eyes glowed with the ethereal light of a wild beast that hadn’t encountered a female in seven or eight years of continuous mating seasons—a spectral glow mixing green with red, red with blue, and blue with purple.

The physical strength of this Mi Sha Star caravan was only about one-hundredth that of the mortals from the Nv Gong Nation. Although they were still tougher than the convicts from Gu Xiechen’s original universe, they were no match for the citizens of the Nv Gong Nation. Perhaps due to the environmental conditions of Mi Sha Star, or perhaps because their lives under the rule of the Saints’ disciples had been too comfortable, lacking the cruel attrition of natural selection.

In short, the mortals here were not as robust as the native mortals on Jiao Tui Star. However, the crossbows and Thunder Talismans they employed had reached an extremely sophisticated level, capable of inflicting substantial damage on cultivators even when wielded by mortals.

Furthermore, Mi Sha Star had likely suffered more than one or two attacks, so both the mortals and cultivators here had already developed an entire combat doctrine for opposing the native cultivators.

A caravan composed of dozens of cultivators and thousands of mortals had inflicted devastating damage on the massive army of Nv Gong cultivators using nothing more than crossbows and Thunder Talismans.

From this, it was evident that manufacturing and selling powerful artifacts for cultivators here was indeed a promising venture.

Gu Xiechen’s eyes turned green because he seemed to have found a new source of enjoyment in life.

He could manufacture vast quantities of powerful artifacts usable by mortals and sell them to the armed native cultivators, causing trouble for the disciples of the Saints! With such premium cannon fodder, he could comfortably sit behind the scenes, slowly scheming against those Saints. Lost in this triumphant thought, Gu Wuchen narrowed his eyes and smiled.

He felt elated, while Emperor Qingwu, Yang Wusheng, Yin Niang, and the other high-ranking officials of the Nv Gong Nation were close to tears.

They were truly close to weeping. Over one hundred thousand cultivators at the Golden Core stage and above were instantly annihilated, meaning the military strength of the Nv Gong Nation had immediately lost about fifty percent of its total. Although nearly a thousand high-end experts at the Nascent Soul stage or above remained, losing the Golden Core cultivators meant a bleak outlook for the Nv Gong Nation for the next hundred years. Golden Core cultivators were the foundation for a nation’s growth and prosperity. And the opposing force was merely a few dozen cultivators commanding a few thousand mortals! Emperor Qingwu’s entire mass of fat suddenly trembled, sending large ripples across her body.

Gently wiping Little Yi’er’s cheek, Emperor Qingwu placed him aside and gave a calm order: “Wait for my return!”

Little Yi’er tearfully watched Emperor Qingwu, only nodding silently through his choked sobs, a truly desolate sight. Gu Xiechen glanced approvingly at Little Yi’er. These Qian Da Fan were indeed Qian Da Fan; their methods of deception were truly masterful.

“Heh, hehe…” Emperor Qingwu let out a chilling, cold laugh. She swayed her massive, pear-shaped body, the rolls of fat churning, and slowly walked toward the caravan. As she advanced, the surroundings suddenly grew dim. Every grain of sand on the desert began emitting thick black smoke, which surged skyward, gradually congealing into a turbid, black cloud formation.

Blackish-brown smoke also spewed from Emperor Qingwu’s pores. She chuckled lowly, exuding a pungent odor. Yang Wusheng and Yin Niang simultaneously gasped in low voices: “The Myriad Insect Poison Heart-Drilling Miasma! Your Majesty is enraged!”

With a cold laugh, Yang Wusheng suddenly emitted rolling waves of heat. He donned the armor bestowed by the Lord of Juwei and held the azure-blue flying sword, following closely behind Emperor Qingwu’s footsteps.

Threads of chilling air emerged from Yin Niang’s body. She let out a proud, cold sneer, fully arming herself and slowly following behind Yang Wusheng.

Emperor Qingwu radiated immense pressure. With every step she took, the ground nearby subtly shook, and a deep, muffled roar echoed from far beneath the earth, sounding as if heavy artillery was firing underground.

The caravan’s pack beasts, oppressed by Emperor Qingwu’s pressure, began to retreat. Only the largest among them—a beast resembling an elongated mammoth, nearly the size of a small mountain with over a dozen shaggy, thick legs—slowly advanced forward.

The few highest-level cultivators in the caravan, along with dozens of gorgeously dressed men and women, stood on a magnificent pavilion situated atop this foremost pack beast, staring intently at the slowly approaching Emperor Qingwu. When the two sides were about a li apart, Emperor Qingwu suddenly stopped. “You slaughtered so many of my nation’s soldiers today, and today, every single one of you shall die!” Emperor Qingwu glared at the cultivators and women, issuing her final ultimatum.

Those cultivators watched Emperor Qingwu with cold eyes. Suddenly, the highest-ranking among them—a young man whose power peaked at the late Nascent Soul stage—let out a long roar.

The terrifyingly large pack beast suddenly opened its maw, revealing a pitch-black, cavernous opening large enough to be a mountain cave. Inside that massive mouth, a dozen burly men were adjusting the angle of a colossal heavy crossbow. A dull thud sounded, and a streak of strong light as thick as a water vat suddenly flew off the heavy crossbow, its target squarely the chest of Emperor Qingwu. Pig Head will be busy for two days; Mom and Old Slave are visiting Shanghai. D